make nothing of

Verb

make nothing of (third-person singular simple present makes nothing of, present participle making nothing of, simple past and past participle made nothing of)

1. To do (something) with ease
   • His patent leather boots were tight and ill-suited to the rough going, nor were his black trousers in keeping with his amusement. He looked, indeed, a curious hybrid, a sportsman from his crown to the bottom of his jacket, and a man of the world about the legs. Moreover, his wind was not good, and...1907, Edgar Jepson, The Four Philanthropists
2. To consider as trifling or unimportant.
   • We are industrious to preserve our bodies from slavery, but we make nothing of suffering our souls to be slaves to our lusts.1691, John Ray, Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of His Creation
   • Osberne laughed and said: Here he stands beside me; come and take him! And the foe were some three score, all a-horseback. So they fell on without more words; but they made nothing of it, and the Wethermellers kept them aloof with spear and bill. Albeit Osberne did not draw his sword, nor did the...1898, William Morris, The Sundering Flood

   Synonyms:

   banalize, downplay, understate, bagatellize, belittle, cut down, de-emphasize, denigrate, degrade, deprecate

3. To fail to understand.
   • I made nothing of what he said.

   Antonyms:

   make something of